It’s one of the most demanding and unusual humanitarian missions happening in the world today, and it’s being carried out at sea, by the crew of the Ocean Viking rescue vessel.

Chartered by SOS MEDITERRANEE in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the ship patrols the Mediterranean Sea to rescue people in deep distress at sea.

Crew members spend months at sea, living in small births, constantly on the lookout for boats in distress — small dinghies, full of people, lost among the waves.

It’s a dangerous assignment. Rescues often happen at night, during times of heavy winds and choppy seas. And it’s not only the forces of nature that make this mission perilous – only a week ago, after this podcast was recorded, the Ocean Viking was hit by multiple gunshots.

So why do they do it? How did the people lost at sea find themselves in these perilous situations? And how does the Ocean Viking crew find them on the vast seascape of the Mediterranean?

In this episode we take you on board the Ocean Viking with Sara Mancinelli, the IFRC operations manager aboard the Ocean Viking and Camille Coletta, IFRC’s protection coordinator aboard the ship.

Please, join us for an immersive audio journey aboard the Ocean Viking, then please subscribe to this channel to hear more compelling audio storytelling as Season 5 of Red Vest podcast gets under way.

As Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan, IFRC’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Hossam Elsharkawi, reflects on the humanitarian crises impacting his region and on what Muslims consider a sacred month of fasting, giving and prayer. “Through fasting, you feel what's it like to be hungry, what's it like to be thirsty,” says Elsharkawi. “Ramadan is also a month of giving, when people share their meals and give more to charity.” Elsharkawi also explains the time-honoured tradition of giving in the Islamic world, and about a campaign launched during Ramadan by the IFRC to accept zakat, a traditional form of giving in Muslim culture.

How will technology shape the way we respond to emergencies? What is ‘human biology’ and how is it connected to human rights? What are the big challenges ahead for global health during uncertain times? Loyce Pace, IFRC’s new Regional Director for the America, is well placed to explore these questions. With a long background in community and global health advocacy, she most recently served as Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs at the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Before that she played key roles coordinating the United States’ global response to health crises. Tune in to see how she sees the big challenges facing the Americas, from climate-related disasters to migration, outbreaks, and more.